2016 NFL and Seahawks Predictions!

Well, the 2016 season is almost upon us, which means my annual NFL and Seahawk predictions.  I will start with the Seahawks this time, going game by game, picking leaders for categories that aren't a given. 

Week 1, vs. Miami Dolphins: Win 27-16 (1-0)
The offense gets off to a slow start but comes alive late.  Hopefully the Hawks won't need a last minute pick 6 like the last time the Dolphins visited Seattle, all the way back in 2004.  I was at that game.  Michael Boulware (remember him?) had the INT.

Week 2, at Los Angeles Rams: Win 24-21 (2-0)
Feels weird saying "Los Angeles Rams".  But with the Rams moving I don't think their road struggles against the Rams continue.  Might be close, but I see the Hawks coming out on top.

Week 3, vs. San Francisco 49ers: Win 34-10 (3-0)
The 49ers are a complete shell of the team they used to be.  All of their stars are gone or have faded (Kaepernick).  This is a must win. 

Week 4, at New York Jets: Win 19-16 (4-0)
Never been impressed with any Jets team in recent memory.  I see too much turmoil and lack of team chemistry with them.  That being said, they'll put up a fight but lose.

Week 6, vs. Atlanta Falcons: Win 30-14 (5-0)
Dan Quinn's return to Seattle will not go as planned.  I have the Falcons having a down season (see more below) so this should be a fairly easy victory.

Week 7, at Arizona Cardinals: Win 35-31 (6-0)
The Hawks have had success in Arizona recently and I think that continues.  Should be a bit of a shootout at worst.  Will be an entertaining game either way.

Week 8, at New Orleans Saints: Loss 34-26 (6-1)
I thought about the Hawks starting 8-0 or so, but I have a feeling they might look past this game a bit.  They will be really focused on the Cardinals and then the next week they'll be looking forward to getting home. 

Week 9, vs. Buffalo Bills: Win 28-17 (7-1)
The Hawks defense practices against Wilson constantly, and playing against Taylor should be fairly easy.  Rex Ryan will complain several times and complain about the noise after the game.

Week 10, at New England Patriots: Loss 24-23 (7-2)
I can see this game actually being a defensive struggle.  But playing in New England in November is no easy task for ANY team.  Also, would continue the tradition of losing to an AFC team every year.

Week 11, vs. Philadelphia Eagles: Win 27-9 (8-2)
The Eagles could be very bad this year.  With this game sandwiched between to east coast trips, a win is mandatory. 

Week 12, at Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Win 12-10 (9-2)
I'll guess that this game will have very few offensive fireworks.  I think our D can shut Winston down but I worry about the long trip affecting our offense.  But it will be just enough.

Week 13, vs. Carolina Panthers: Win 19-14 (10-2)
The Seahawks want revenge for losing to the Panthers TWICE last year.  The Hawks offense will be in a stretch where people start to wonder what is going on, but the defense steps up.

Week 14, at Green Bay Packers: Win 13-10 (11-2)
The Hawks want revenge here as well, and in a December game at Lambeau points may be at a premium.  The Hawks are also due for a win at Lambeau. 

Week 15, vs. Los Angeles Rams: Win 20-10 (12-2)
Again, revenge for last year.  It will be another dirty, hard-fought game, but this time the ball bounces the Hawks way (literally).

Week 16, vs. Arizona Cardinals: Win 30-20 (13-2)
Did I mention revenge yet as a motivating factor?  Hawks have a stretch of four games in a row where they lost to that opponent last year at the same sight the game is being played at.  I'd be happy with 3 wins in this stretch, but I'll be optimistic and say they get all four. 

Week 17, at San Francisco 49ers: Win 20-7 (14-2)
Meaningless game, possibly?  Either way I think our 2nd stringers beat their best.

More on the Hawks in the playoffs later.  Now, the predictions for team leaders!
Rushing Yards: Thomas Rawls
Rushing TD's: Christine Michael
Receiving Yards: Doug Baldwin
Receiving TD's: Jimmy Graham
Sacks: Michael Bennett
Interceptions: Earl Thomas
Tackles: KJ Wright
Hawks Rookie of the Year: Jarran Reed
Hawks MVP: Russell Wilson
Hawks comeback player: Paul Richardson
Hawks unsung hero: Justin Britt

Now, onto my predictions for EACH TEAM!

AFC East
1. Patriots (12-4)
Losing Brady for the first four games hurts (Oh well, you cheaters), but I think Garoppolo will hold down the fort, go 2-2 or 3-1.  
2. Bills (9-7, WC)
I think their playoff drought (longest in the NFL, only one longer in big 3 sports longer than the Mariners) will end, and they'll get a wild card.  Rex will work his magic.  And the Mariners will have the longest playoff drought in all of sports.  HA HA.
3. Jets (8-8)
So they recently resigned Fitzpatrick to a one year contract, which he'll need to prove to them he's worthy of a long-term deal, so expect him to do well.  But I just don't see the ground attack being enough to complement him.
4. Dolphins (6-10)
They won't be horrible, but they're not going to overpower anyone.  Ryan Tannehill is the most run of the mill QB I think I've ever seen.  He's good enough to hold down the starting job, never good enough to get playoffs or a Pro Bowl nod.

AFC North
1. Cincinnati Bengals (11-5)
Spurred on by the heartbreaking loss in the playoffs the Bengals roar back and have a good season, start to finish.  One of the best all around rosters in the AFC still.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-8)
Big Ben, the douchebag he is, will get hurt or struggle, I predict.  Their defense is still a work in progress. 
3. Baltimore Ravens (6-10)
Ever since Ray Ray left they've been terrible.  That will continue, for the most part.  Who's their running back?  And their defense is awfully pedestrian now.
4. Cleveland Browns (4-12)
Cleveland will be Cleveland.  Every time I pick the Browns to have a surprisingly good year, they suck.  So, I'm picking them to suck.

AFC South
1. Jacksonville Jaguars (9-7)
You heard it here first, folks.  This team is on the rise, and it's not exactly one of the best divisions.  Bortles will take a big step forward, and Robinson/Hurns will emerge as perhaps the best 1-2 WR combo.
2. Indianapolis Colts (8-8)
I don't get all the Andrew Luck Hype.  Well, if he was in Seattle he might have similar success to Russell Wilson, but in Indy I don't see him having much more success.  Too bad for him he signed that contract extension.
3. Tennessee Titans (8-8)
Mariota will make strides as will the rest of his team, but Mariota, IMO, is only the 3rd best QB in his division.  No one is picking the Titans higher than 4th, except maybe Titans fans.
4. Houston Texans (5-11)
Not every year, but every once in a while we see a fairly large contract given to a QB who had BRIEF moments of excellence, and they completely bomb and end up ruining their team's chances.  I'm predicting that for Houston and Brock Osweiler.  Brock had the talent around him in Denver and won't have as much in Houston.

AFC West
1. Denver Broncos (9-7)
Colin Cowherd picked the Broncos to finish 3rd with a 6-10 record.  REALLY?  The only things they really lost were QB's.  Granted, I'm not too assured with Sanchez/Lynch, but this defense was one of the best ever last year.  They're still there.  They will carry the team if they have to.  And Denver should have a running game.
2. Oakland Raiders (9-7, WC)
Possibly a wild card spot, we'll see.  I like their chances and they've been built better than they have for many years. 
3. Kansas City Chiefs (8-8)
Alex Smith is so pedestrian.  He is the very definition of a game manager.  He won't beat you with his arm.  Granted, he won't let too many mistakes happen, but in a fairly tough division you need a gunslinger at QB, and Smith is not it.
4. San Diego Chargers (6-10)
Any chance Rivers will want out?  The Chargers, unless there's some sort of minor miracle, aren't going anywhere.  They're not horrible, but escaping from last may be tough.

NFC East
1. New York Giants (10-6)
What the heck.  This division is the hardest to pick IMO, mostly because injuries to QB's in this division have a bigger effect than in other divisions.  Here's to Eli having a good season,  being the only Manning in the league now.
2. Dallas Cowboys (9-7, WC)
I can't see THAT much of a bounce back season for the 'Boys.  They won't be God awful like they were last year, but Ezekiel Elliot will only be so-so. 
3. Washington Redskins (7-9)
You know what, Kirk Cousins?  I do like that.  I like that you're staying in Washington for a while, never leading them past the first round in the playoffs.  You're the Andy Dalton of the NFC.  And you have nowhere near the talent around him he does.
4. Philadelphia Eagles (5-11)
Doug Pederson sure has his plate full.  The odds of two straight drafts were the Top 2 QB's taken all have good careers is very unlikely.  Mariota/Winston seem to be decent.  Goff I think will be good.  That leaves Wentz as the odd man out.  But we'll see.

NFC North
1. Minnesota Vikings (10-6)
I'm not a huge fan of Teddy Bridgewater, but excluding the QB position, I'll take the Vikings over the Packers any day.  If Teddy can play just well enough he can get them the division title.
2. Green Bay Packers (9-7, WC)
I don't know what will happen.  Maybe their defense will suck.  Maybe their O-Line will.  Something will, and it will hurt them.  Not enough to miss the playoffs, but enough to probably cost them the division.
3. Detroit Lions (8-8)
Sure, they lost Megatron to retirement but that may help them in a way.  Stafford is a very good QB even without him.  We've seen QB's have success without a true #1, they just need protection and a running game.  The running game is the big question. 
4. Chicago Bears (4-12)
What to say about Da Bears?  They seem to be like a car stuck in the mud.  They just need that push to get them unstuck.  That won't happen this year, I don't think.

NFC South
1. Carolina Panthers (13-3)
No one can argue that as long as they stay (relatively) healthy that they're not the best all around team in their division.  They're built to be competitive, but to win a title?  That we'll have to see.
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7)
They'll take a big leap forward.  I used to think Jameis Winston would be a bust but now I'm thinking he'll be like Cam Newton, maybe a hair or two below.  I like his desire to win. 
3. New Orleans Saints (8-8)
Their defense will be improved, and Brandin Cooks will emerge as one of the best weapons in the game. 
4. Atlanta Falcons (5-11)
I don't know what it'll be, but I'm just not liking the way this team is being put together.  Dan Quinn will be on the hot seat.

NFC West
1. Seattle Seahawks (14-2)
Yes, I'm biased, but the last time the Seahawks lost in the divisional round, they won their division and the Super Bowl the following year.  It won't be easy with the Cards still competitive, though.
2. Arizona Cardinals (9-7)
Carson Palmer is aging.  I doubt he'll age as gracefully as guys like Brett Favre and Kurt Warner.  Larry Fitzgerald is aging too. 
3. San Francisco 49ers (8-8)
I know, but it's the Chip Kelley effect.  He'll win more games than expected which will instill false hope in the Niner fanbase.  He did it in Philadelphia.  Heck, if the Cardinals really struggle or deal with injuries, they could reach 2nd place! 
4. Los Angeles Rams (6-10)
I don't know what it'll be, but I don't see much leadership on this team.  They cut a lot of defensive leaders.  We'll see.

And now onto playoff predictions!

AFC Playoffs

1. Patriots
2. Bengals
3. Broncos
4. Jaguars
5. Bills
6. Raiders

NFC Playoffs

1. Seahawks
2. Panthers
3. Giants
4. Vikings
5. Packers
6. Cowboys

AFC WC
Raiders at Broncos: Broncos
Bills at Jaguars: Jaguars

NFC WC
Cowboys at Giants: Giants
Packers at Vikings: Packers

AFC Div
Jaguars at Patriots: Patriots
Broncos at Bengals: Broncos

NFC Div
Packers at Seahawks: Seahawks
Giants at Panthers: Panthers

Championship Games
Broncos at Patriots: Patriots
Panthers at Seahawks: Seahawks

Super Bowl LI: Seahawks over Patriots :D

There you have it.  The Hawks get their revenge on the Patriots.  That would be a perfect way for the 2016 season to go.  But we'll see.  Should be an extremely exciting season, even without Beast Mode.  GO HAWKS!

LeBron James - The Greatest Ever?

LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers just won the 2015-16 NBA Title, the first major sports championship for the city of Cleveland in 52 YEARS.  He of course won the Finals MVP, and after appearing in six straight NBA Finals with two different teams, finally won one for his hometown team.  People are starting to debate if he is the greatest ever.  Of course, the one to compare him to would be His Airness, Michael Jordan.  Is LeBron catching MJ?  You betcha.  Will he surpass him?  That'll be up to basketball fans for years to come.

LeBron's career has taken many turns.  Drafted straight out of high school, he and the Cavs struggled to have much success, but he did bring them to the NBA Finals in 2007, but they were swept by the San Antonio Spurs.  In 2010, LeBron was heavily criticized for leaving the Cavaliers and joining the Heat to play with his good friends Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, but he cannot be criticized for leaving the Cavs.  LeBron was given very little help, with no significant post players or ball handlers around him.  Sure, he basically left the Cavs empty-handed, but is it his fault they couldn't acquire any significant players before or after he left?  They certainly had the cap space after he left, but nope.  LeBron was hated by many, including Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, and many fans were photographed burning his jersey.  But can you really blame him?  The Cavaliers refused to give him much help, so he had to go somewhere where he could get help.  LeBron wanted to win, and the Cavs wouldn't let him.  LeBron knew he would never be seen as great, staying in Cleveland and never having success in the playoffs thanks to ownership and management not providing him with talented players around him.

So LeBron went and won two championships in Miami in 2012 and 2013.  After having experienced success, he felt the only thing better than winning championships was to win them for Cleveland.  So he headed back to the Cavaliers.  Some forgave, some still remembered the hurt they felt.  But this time, LeBron was given help in the form of draft pick Kyrie Irving and trade acquisition Kevin Love.  And just yesterday, those three were instrumental in getting the Cleveland Cavaliers their first championship.

Most people would still agree that MJ is better than LBJ, but LBJ still has plenty of years to go.  I believe LeBron in his prime would win one-on-one against Michael, because of his advantage physically.  He's not any slower, and would more than likely out muscle MJ in the post.  But in terms of best player, we have to wait and see.  And even when LeBron's career is over we'll probably still not know.  That's fine with me.  There are countless debates throughout sports and entertainment about who is better: Ruth or Aaron, Montana or Brady, Woods or Palmer, Batman or Superman, Hepburn or Streep, etc.  Basketball will have it's Jordan and James, and basketball fans should not only be fine with that, but embrace it.  Some might be perturbed that MJ might not be solely known as the greatest ever, but if LeBron keeps winning, he deserves to be in that conversation.

I'll just be happy to have been able to watch them both.  Heck there will be even be the third person who might be saying Kobe was the greatest ever, or an old-timer who will say Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, or Oscar Robertson.  I don't think LBJ will ever surpass MJ, but as long as people speak of him in the same breath and debate him with Michael Jordan, I think that would Mr. James happy enough.

My Insane Theory for the New Star Wars Trilogy

With Star Wars Episode VII still a year and a half away, it's never too early to theorize or speculate about characters, their motives, or possible twists.  I do believe there will be a twist, perhaps revealed at the end of Episode VII much like how the twist of the original trilogy was revealed in the middle movie of the trilogy.  Ready for it?  Here it is:

Kylo Ren is not evil.  He is a spy sent by Luke to infiltrate the dark side and take down Snoke.

I'll give you a minute to put your mind back together after it's been blown. 

Basically, Kylo was in training with Luke when Luke learns of this dark lord that has been in the shadows (Supreme Leader Snoke), and comes up with the idea to use Kylo/Ben as a weapon and spy to try to learn something about Snoke, take out Snoke, or both. 

If you've ever read Harry Potter, this would directly parallel the events of the popular book series.  In this case, Luke would be Dumbledore using Kylo (Snape) to take down a dark leader: Snoke (Voldemort).  Funny thing is Kylo with his long hair and long face looks like Snape.  In the Harry Potter series, Snape reported to Dumbledore about Voldemort.  Is Kylo somehow in secret communication with Luke?  Also in this analogy, Rey would be Harry Potter and Finn would be a combination of Ron/Hermione.  Or maybe Poe is Hermione, haha. 

I know there's a lot against this theory--such as why does it seem like Kylo Ren in TFA is so desperate to find his uncle?  It could be an act.  But to back up my theory, Luke went in hiding--not out of shame--but because contact with anyone would risk him revealing his plan.  Perhaps Luke found out something about Snoke so bad that he gave up his relationships with Han and Leia so that he could secretly get Kylo Ren to spy for him.  Perhaps Luke learned how to expertly flirt between dark and light so well without going too far either way that he felt confident in letting his nephew pretend to be dark.  Luke being disgraced about his nephew turning dark is a cover for his solitude--it's so he can meditate, and also communicate with his nephew secretly.

You're probably thinking: Why did Kylo Ren kill Han, then?  Well perhaps Han is a bit like Dumbledore in that he might have been dead soon, anyway.  Maybe there was someone so hot on Han's trail that they were about to catch up and kill him.  I doubt Luke would want Han dead, but if Luke knew Han didn't have long in the galaxy anyway, and it would convince Snoke of Kylo's evilness, Luke would probably say it would be worth it for the greater good.  Perhaps Han knew he was going to die.  He did say to Rey that he was looking into taking on a second mate, but perhaps that was code for someone to take over the Millennium Falcon... period.

One other thing to back up my theory: Kylo did not appear to be trying to kill Rey.  On Starkiller Base at the end of TFA when Kylo fights Finn and Rey, he did not seem to be trying to kill Rey.  If anything, he was trying to get her to come with him so he could perhaps fill her in on the secret.  I believe if Kylo wanted to kill her he could've, seeing how inexperienced she was.  The fact that (while injured) Kylo had trouble with two untrained young adults leads me to believe he wasn't trying to kill them, because he isn't evil. 

I know my theory is a bit of a long shot, but I'd love to see it come true.  I do believe in some way by the end of the trilogy Kylo Ren will have come back to the light (if he even left it).  I mean, what's more badass than being bad, but not actually being evil?  You get all the coolness of the dark side but none of the hate.  Severus Snape is revered in the Harry Potter series--I think Disney wants the same for Kylo Ren. 

Bonus: Take a look at Kylo Ren's lightsaber.  Looks like a cross, doesn't it?  Like the cross Jesus died on?  Perhaps that is a subtle hint that Kylo will sacrifice himself for the greater good.  I can definitely see that happening, most likely in Episode IX.

Movie May 2016!

Well, without much notice (except with my close friends) I completed my 2nd ever Movie May!  For the second time I watched a movie every day in the month of May, the last time I did this being exactly two years ago in 2014.  This time I watched films that totaled 57 hours and 41 minutes, so I watched 2 hours and 45 minutes more of films than last time.  That's like two extra films!  And like last time I didn't always finish the film the same day but I started a new one each day.

Also, I gave them an average rating of 7.35, as compared to 6.67 last time.  Either I saw fewer crappy films or I've become more lenient, or both.  I watched 7 films on Netflix (4 less than last time), 12 films that Amanda or I already owned (6 more than last time), 8 that I rented either from DVD.com (AKA Netflix in the mail) or RedBox/DVDXpress (3 fewer than last time), 2 in theaters (1 less than last time) and 2 that I borrowed from a friend (Thanks Lowen!). 

Without further ado,  the list of movies I watched in order and my short reviews of them:

May 1: The Joneses - 6/10
So these four people are paid to pretend to be a family and try to get people to buy the cool stuff they have.  Is that even legal?  All in all though it was decent.  It did drag on at times, but I enjoyed certain parts.  I always like a recognizable cast which included David Duchovny, Demi Moore, and Amber Heard.  But the cast wasn't enough to keep me interested the whole time.

May 2: Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation - 8/10
Tom Cruise has still got it.  There will come a point in time he's too old for the role of Ethan Hunt, but not yet.  The plot did get a bit confusing at times and there were some things that made me shake my head, but all in all it kept me intrigued.  The opening with Tom/Ethan hanging onto the door of the jet is as good as it gets.  And the stunt where he drops into an underwater security vault is incredible.

May 3: Ant-Man - 7/10
While I really enjoyed it and I laughed at least 10 times throughout the film, I didn't find it to be that well-made of a superhero film.  I was skeptical of Paul Rudd as the title character, but I turned out to love the choice.  There were a few head scratchers and plot holes like if Hank Pym has the ability to make anything larger, why does he have trouble doing ANYTHING?  Anyway, this was like a tamer version of Deadpool.  Still funny (maybe not as much so), but the lead character in red and black with a semi-dark past. 

May 4: Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back - 6/10
I don't know what it was... but if a movie that's supposed to be funny doesn't make me laugh, then I don't enjoy it.  It was all right.  I cared for the characters.  It was more amusing than anything.  It's just over the top comedies always fall flat with me.  But I loved all of the cameos and big names in this film, from Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher to Jason Biggs and James Van Der Beek. 

May 5: Kingsman: The Secret Service - 9/10
Wow, this film certainly did to spy films with Kick Ass did for super hero films.  If you like action movies and don't mind a bit of gore/violence, this film is definitely worth a watch.  Taron Egerton is fantastic in the lead role and the cast was filled out with tremendous talent including Samuel L. Jackson, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, and a small role from Mark Hamill (again!).  I'm very glad to see they're making a sequel.  The camera work and the choreography in this film both top notch.

May 6: Ted 2 - 7/10
I'm not sure if it was as good as the first, but it was close.  I laughed a few times, but not as much as I would've hoped.  Just another typical Seth McFarlane comedy--I tell ya, his humor doesn't surprise me or make me laugh that hard anymore.  Time for some new material, Seth.  But at least with the story I was invested in the characters, for the most part.  They don't need to make a Ted 3 unless Seth has a very clever idea.

May 7: Across the Universe - 8/10
I watched this because 1) I had been meaning to for years and 2) a friend recommended it to me and I gotta say I enjoyed it.  The Beatles covers they did were spot on, and I really felt what it was to be like to be young and in the heart of the Vietnam War era.  My favorite covers were "I Get By with a Little Help from my Friends" "Let it Be" and "Come Together".  I had no idea Joe Cocker played the bum that sang the beginning part of "Come Together". 

May 8: A Teacher - 3/10
I only watched this because I was pressed on time and it was only 75 minutes long.  Fortunately it was only 75 minutes long, because it was not that good.  Everything in the technical categories (Cinematography, editing, music) was poor and it just ends with the teacher being upset that the school found out about her relationship with her student.  Very lackluster film.

May 9: Captain America: Civil War - 9/10
Affectionately called "The Avengers 2.5", CA: CW definitely lived up to the hype.  I don't think it quite exceeded anyone's expectations, but the fight scenes were a delight to watch.  The pacing was a bit off and it was a tad too long, though.  Also, it seemed like just a bit too much of fan service, trying to make the fan of every superhero happy.  But it excelled in the technical aspects and the Russo brothers did another great job.

May 10: Everest - 7/10
Everest was kind of a letdown for me, to be honest.  Although, to be fair, that was mostly because I was expecting more shocking deaths (from falls, avalanches, etc.) than ones were they slowly die from the cold or lack of "O" (oxygen).  It was nice to see that it was based off a true story.  The rating isn't lower because this was the first movie of the month to make me tear up, when Rob (Jason Clarke) was talking to his wife Jan (Keira Knightley) for the final time.  Very well done, great acting.  Although it was puzzling how two of the climber's wives (Rob's wife Jan and Beck's wife Peach) were played by well-known actresses (Peach being played by Robin Wright).  They had small parts and I think could've easily been played by an unknown to save money.

May 11: The Peanuts Movie - 7/10
This was a cute, family-friendly movie.  Hard not to root for Charlie Brown.  But the adventures with Snoopy and his writing/flying just seemed unnecessary and pointless, but how else were they going to include fan-favorite Snoopy into scenes?  Also, the naivety of the characters, especially Charlie Brown, reminded me of the old kids Nickelodeon shows like Rugrats and Hey Arnold, where we see just how much children have to learn about the world. 

May 12: The Bourne Identity - 8/10
Yes, I have never seen any of the "Bourne" films.  The first one was actually pretty good.  It's a good idea to use for a plot to have your main character have amnesia, that way we learn along with him what his name is, what he did, etc.  Chris Cooper again was typecast as the asshole (See also October Sky, American Beauty)--is he even capable of playing a nice guy?  I also didn't understand Clive Owen's character or his motives... like why did he want Mombosi dead?  But good action that kept me engaged, for the most part.

May 13: Beautiful Creatures - 5/10
I only watched this because of Alden Ehrenreich and how he was cast as Han Solo, just like for the last Movie May I watched "Inside Llewyn Davis" for Oscar Isaac and Adam Driver.  Unlike Inside Llewyn Davis, however, this was not that good.  As for Ehrenreich, I think he looks more like a young Jack Nicholson than a young Harrison Ford.  But we'll see.  His acting was good, though.  But the film itself was only so-so at best, as supernatural love stories don't really interest me that much.  Found myself losing interest on multiple occasions.

May 14: The Jungle Book -  8/10
I was impressed with the CGI and voice acting talents in this film.  Neel Sethi played a really good Mowgli as well.  Not sure if it was quite appropriate for kids, but at least they kept the violence to a minimum.  They sang snippets of some of the original's songs, but what's the point if you're not going to do the whole thing?  Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed this film more than I thought I would and I think they did about as good of a job as they could have with a live action remake.  Some of the voice casts (Bill Murray, Christopher Walken) were PERFECT.

May 15: Lincoln - 7/10
Holy crap was this long.  But I will say Daniel Day-Lewis is well deserving of his Oscar.  To anyone who's seen House of Cards, this was basically like a really, really long House of Cards episode, with Lincoln instead of Underwood.  The pacing was so slow and drawn out, and there wasn't a ton to get excited about.  I guess it gets a 7 for DDL's performance alone.  He was tremendous.

May 16: Peep World - 7/10
As opposed to Lincoln, this film was too short and could have used more depth.  But the cast, fantastic.  Michael C. Hall, Rainn Wilson, Sarah Silverman, Kate Mara, all terrific.  Also, to finish on a sort-of climax was a bit cliché for the 2010's.  Leave it up to our imagination?  Gee, thanks.  Too many loose ends we are left wondering about, but the acting and cast kept me engaged.

May 17: The Bourne Supremacy - 7/10
I didn't like this one quite as much as the first one (Identity), but it was decent nonetheless.  I lost interest a few times and the plot here was more confusing than the first one.  But it had an exciting opening act and the chase scenes, especially the last one in Russia, were very well done. 

May 18: Concussion - 8/10
Will Smith was outstanding as Bennet Omalu, a doctor who emigrated from Nigeria.  There were actually times I forgot it was the former Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.  The only thing that ever gave it away was his appearance.  I wish they had a little more backstory, and the casting of Luke Wilson as Roger Goodell... I mean... seriously?  His brother Owen would've been a (slightly) better choice.  But this is a must watch for any NFL fan. 

May 19: Sex Tape - 6/10
So the premise wasn't too bad, maybe a bit out there, with a couple trying to get back the copies of their sex tape.  But it was a little over the top for me.  And being extorted by a 10 year old?  Give me a break.  But it did have some funny moments and Rob Lowe stole the show, in my opinion.  His bad haircut and narcissism made him quite the character.  But not worth watching again... at least not for a while.

May 20: Raiders of the Lost Ark - 7/10
Like the Bourne movies, I had yet to see an Indiana Jones movie... and I gotta say I wasn't THAT impressed.  The classic Indy theme was easily the best part, and the traps and action scenes may have been ahead of their time, slightly, but I often found myself losing track or losing focus of the film.  I liked the scene where Indy carjacked the truck that had the Ark.  But the plot didn't keep me hooked.  Maybe on future viewings I will like it more.

May 21: Daddy's Home - 5/10
I found myself caring for Brad (Will Ferrell), but once he had his drunken rant and antics at halftime of the basketball game, I was done.  Also, driving a motorcycle through a home (up a set of stairs!?) and out the window, only sustaining a few cuts and bruises?  And the story of how he wasn't able to have children.... even if that was possible for him to lose his fertility that way, wouldn't he be able to sue?  So many head shaking moments, not enough laughs.

May 22: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - 9/10
Boy is this movie trippy.  Basically, Joel (Jim Carrey) is hurt his ex-girlfriend Clementine (Kate Winslet) erased him from her memories and he does the same so he can move on, but in the process regrets his decision and while he is dreaming tries to find some way to get himself to remember her before it's too late.  The things that happens in this dream state are on par with Inception with how freaky and imaginative it is.  I give this film a 9 for that alone.  It was a little hard to follow at times, trying to keep track at what point in their relationship the scene is from, but multiple well-deserved viewings would help.

May 23: Reservoir Dogs - 9/10
Yes, I hadn't seen this Tarantino flick yet (nor the Kill Bill movies), but this marks the fifth of his movies I've seen.  Basically every one of his movies can be summed up like this: Almost everyone dies.  The end.  Anyway, drama and acting phenomenal, and I of course didn't guess the rat right (I was thinking Mr. Pink).  The torture scene with "Stuck in the Middle with You" was iconic and it's too bad this film was only 99 minutes long.  Hard to believe this was QT's first motion picture as director, seems like it was done by an experienced director.

May 24: Groundhog Day - 9/10
A classic Bill Murray/Harold Ramis film I didn't see as a kid, but I'm glad I waited because I know there would be a few things I wouldn't have understood as a kid.  I love the concept--what would you do if you lived the same day over and over, with no tomorrow?  The story arc goes from confusion to contempt to acceptance.  I wish there was some explanation why it happened to him, but it's not a big deal.  I can't imagine anyone else in the lead role.

May 25: White House Down - 7/10
Out of the two White House is under attack films in 2013 I enjoyed this one more (than "Olympus Has Fallen").  The people attacking this time are mostly Americans, upset at the President or country for various reasons.  The explosions/CGI could've used a bit of work, and was Jamie Fox the best casting?  He doesn't seem... authoritative enough.  Will Smith would've been a bit more believable.  But the 2 hour and 11 min film kept me engaged the whole time.

May 26: Captain Phillips - 10/10
Ok, it's not a perfect film, but it had everything I wanted: Drama, action, good acting, a few heartbreaking moments, you name it.  Hanks was brilliant as usual.  It's too bad we didn't get to see Hanks reunite with his wife, but we've seen that in movies before and we know how it goes.  I just remember feeling stuffy as if I were in the lifeboat with Hanks and the Somalis.  Very well made film.  I felt like I was along with the crew (and then just Captain Phillips) the whole time.

May 27: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom - 7/10
Definitely hard to watch at times, with the burning sacrifice, the eating of the gross things, and many other instances of bad guys dying horrific deaths.  But I enjoyed it just as much as RotLA, maybe even more so.  Instead of Nazis and Egypt it was Chinese and India.  Don't see what Indy sees in "Willie", as she was very high maintenance and not the least bit helpful.  I really liked Short Round, he was a nice and welcome addition.

May 28: Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure - 7/10
I knew going in not to take it too seriously, and I'm glad I didn't because I definitely enjoyed it.  It's too bad Alex Winter hasn't had nearly the career Keanu Reeves had, but at least one of them did.  Not exactly historically accurate or believable, I still found myself rooting for Bill and Ted despite them being a couple of knuckleheads.  George Carlin was really good as their mentor, Rufus.  Too bad he wasn't able to be his usual vulgar self, haha. 

May 29: 2001: A Space Odyssey - 9/10
Yep, I had never seen this.  At first I was thinking of how boring and sometimes uneventful it was, but after reading about the film afterward and understanding what was going on, I gotta say, WOW.  I didn't understand the monoliths at first because they always seemed so out of place, but I guess that was the point.  This is definitely a film you need to watch more than once, but at 2 hours and 29 minutes in length, that's no easy task.  It did get really trippy at times, making me go, "Woah...".  HAL was definitely creepy.  Having seen Star Wars dozens of times, I can say this film has special effects that rival it (and sometimes even surpass it--despite coming out 9 years earlier!).  It was way ahead of its time and didn't do that bad of a job of portraying future technology. 

May 30: It's Such a Beautiful Day - 8/10
Again, another film I watched because I was pressed on time, at only 62 the shortest film of the month.  It's so odd, but good.  A stick figure named Bill has strangely unusual things happen to him.  The film kind of blurs the difference between stick figure and reality to great effect.  The ending for me was the best, though, because it really made me think.  Love movies that do that. 

May 31: Still Alice - 8/10
First off, Julianne Moore definitely deserves her Oscar for this performance.  She was brilliant.  Baldwin and Stewart were very good, too.  But it's pretty depressing and ends abruptly.  Her speech was probably the highlight of the film.  She wasn't suffering, but she was struggling.  This film probably portrays Alzheimer's disease better than any in recent memory. 

And now like last time, I will give out awards based on the films I saw this month!  First are the awards you would see at the Oscars.


First up is Best Picture.  And here are the nominees:
Captain Phillips
Captain America: Civil War
Lincoln
Reservoir Dogs
Kingsman: The Secret Service
Groundhog Day
2001: A Space Odyssey
Still Alice

Every film I rated a 9 or higher is here, with a few that were less (Lincoln, Still Alice) making it thanks to stellar acting performances.  The award goes to....

Reservoir Dogs!  Turns out, none of QT's films have won best picture, so Reservoir Dogs wins despite it not being the highest rated film (Captain Phillips was). 


Best Actor:
Daniel Day-Lewis: Lincoln
Will Smith: Concussion
Bill Murray: Groundhog Day
Jim Carrey: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Tom Hanks: Captain Phillips

Wow, what a great set of actors.  I don't think there's a weak one in the group.  Each actor carried his film.  But the award goes to...

Daniel Day-Lewis!  He won the real life Oscar so he almost wins by default.  Will Smith is a close runner up.

Best Actress:
Evan Rachel Wood: Across the Universe
Sally Field: Lincoln
Kate Winslet: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Julianne Moore: Still Alice
Andie McDowell: Groundhog Day

Good performances, much better female performances than last time.  The award goes to...

Julianne Moore!  Unlike for best actor, this one wasn't that close. 

Best Supporting Actor:
James Spader: Lincoln
Alec Baldwin: Concussion
Samuel L. Jackson: Kingsman: The Secret Service
Barkhad Abdi: Captain Phillips
Steve Buscemi: Reservoir Dogs

Three of these actors were "upstaged" by the lead role actors (Spader, Baldwin, Abdi).  But who will get the award?  It goes to...

Steve Buscemi!  To me, he stole the show, almost.  He wasn't the main character but I almost felt like he was with his command of the scene. 

Best Supporting Actress:
Maggie Gylenhaal: White House Down
Joey King: White House Down
Keira Knightley: Everest
Kirsten Dunst: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Kristen Stewart: Still Alice

Much better female performances in the supporting category than last year, too.   The award goes to...

Keira Knightley!  She didn't even appear in the same country as her co-stars but she was magnificent. 

Best Song:
I Want To Be Like You: Jungle Book (Christopher Walken)
With a Little Help from My Friends: Across the Universe (Ensemble)
Come Together: Across the Universe (Joe Cocker, Ensemble)
Let it Be: Across the Universe (Ensemble)

Yikes, I didn't see many movies with musical numbers, other than Across the Universe.  Anyway, best song goes to...

"Let it Be"!  When I watched this, I teared up.  Watch it here to see why:

Best Direction/Cinematography:
Steven Spielberg: Lincoln
Steven Spielberg: Raiders of the Lost Ark
Paul Greengrass: Captain Phillips
Stanley Kubrick: 2001: A Space Odyssey
Matthew Vaughn: Kingsman: The Secret Service

Spielberg nominated twice, but does he win?  Best Director goes to...

Stanley Kubrick!  Spielberg, despite having a 40% shot, doesn't win.  2001 was just so ahead of its time and innovative.

Best Special Effects:
Ant Man
Captain America Civil War
The Jungle Book
Kingsman: The Secret Service
2001: A Space Odyssey

This is a tough one.  The award for Best Special Effects goes to...

The Jungle Book!  The first real surprise winner!  After reading about how Baloo's hairs and how each FRAME of the film took FIVE HOURS to render the hairs on Baloo's body... just incredible the time and dedication they put in. 

Now for the non-Academy Awards!

Best Action Scene:
Tom Cruise hanging on to an airplane: Mission Impossible Rogue Nation
Colin Firth killing dozens in a church set to "Free Bird": Kingsman: The Secret Service
All of the superheroes fighting: Captain America Civil War
Indy hijacking a truck with the Ark: Raiders of the Lost Ark

All of these had my heart pumping, but the award goes to...

Colin Firth's ass-kicking in Kingsman!  If you're a fan of violence and fighting you have got to see this scene.  INCREDIBLE. 

Funniest Film:
Ant Man
Ted 2
Peep World
Sex Tape
Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure

What was the funniest film to me? It was...

Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure!  Party on Dudes!

Best Death Scene:
Chris Penn, Lawrence Tierney: Reservoir Dogs
Michael Madsen: Reservoir Dogs
Jason Clarke: Everest
Samuel L. Jackson: Kingsman: The Secret Service
James Woods, White House Down

Only one sad death here, but will it win?  Best Death Scene goes to...

Michael Madsen, Reservoir Dogs.  I gotta be honest, I did not see it coming.  Not at all.  Thanks to Tim Roth's character, Madsen was PUT DOWN.  About to burn a cop alive. 

Best Kiss:
David Duchovny and Demi Moore: The Joneses
Matt Damon and Franka Potente: The Bourne Identity
Bill Murray and Andie McDowell: Groundhog Day

Wow, I didn't watch too many films with memorable kisses in them.  Best kiss goes to...

Bill Murray and Andie McDowell in Groundhog Day!  Well, he worked and worked at it but finally was able to get her to fall for him.

Best Couple:
Jude and Lucy in Across the Universe
Joel and Clementine in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Jason and Marie in The Bourne Identity
Phil and Rita in Groundhog Day

Best couple goes to...

Joel and Clementine!  Joel (Jim Carrey) and Clementine (Kate Winslet) realized their mistakes not too late and were fortunately able to salvage something of their almost erased relationship.

Now onto the Razzie style awards.  These dishonor those performances that made me shake my head.

Worst Film:
A Teacher
Beautiful Creatures
Daddy's Home

I didn't see too many bad films this time.  But the one clearly the worst was...

A Teacher.  Next Movie May I'll make this award more of a competition, lol.

Worst Actor:
Will Brittain: A Teacher
Jason Segel: Sex Tape
Mark Wahlberg: Daddy's Home
Mark Wahlberg: Ted 2

Yikes, Marky Mark nominated twice.  Worst actor goes to...

Will Brittain.  At least I cared for Mark's character each time. 

Worst Actress:
Cameron Diaz: Sex Tape
Lindsay Burdge: A Teacher
Amanda Seyfried: Ted 2
Alice Englert: Beautiful Creatures

Can "A Teacher" complete the trifecta?  Worst actress goes to...

Lindsay Burdge!  Yes they can.  I was kind of glad she was miserable at the end.

Worst Special Effects:
White House Down
Beautiful Creatures
Daddy's Home

And now, for worst special effects, and this year they weren't that bad, but the worst of them was...

Daddy's Home.  I know, a comedy. But that one shot of the motorcycle (with Will Ferrell hanging on for dear life) going up the stairs, flying out the house (creating a hole), landing on the car and off... just horrible.  I cringed super hard at that and for that one scene alone that film deserves worst special effects.

Well, that's it for Movie May, 2016!  And a special announcement...

I will be doing Summer Movie Season 2016!  Watching a movie EVERY DAY is tough, sometimes making it hard to make plans with anyone.  So, instead for Summer Movie Season (SMS for short), I will be watching around 2 movies a week.  For 16 weeks starting the week of June 5-11 and ending the week of September 18-24, I will watch 32 movies (perhaps more), averaging two a week.  I realized I still have a lot of DVD's I recently acquired I need to watch (Finishing the Bourne and Indiana Jones series, for one), and since I restarted my Netflix/DVD.com DVD's in mail I'll be getting at least one of those a week.  Also, this summer movie season is packed and I know I'll be hitting the theaters at least 3, 4 times this summer.

There is a week August 21-27 I will be in Southern California for pretty much the whole week on vacation, so I won't watch any that week, but I will make up for it by watching more than 2 films some weeks. 

So, I will check in around September 24, 25, with my reviews of the movies I watched for SMS and of course, my awards!  See you guys then!

Why the Plastic Bag Ban Doesn't Work

Starting March 1 of this year, the city of Kirkland implemented a city-wide plastic bag ban, preventing any retailer from giving plastic bags to customers.  Instead, they can give out paper for a 5 cent per bag charge.  They do this to try to encourage people to bring their bags so that very few bags have to be made and used.  THIS DOESN'T WORK.  And I'm going to explain why.

1) Paper bags cost more to make and are harder on the environment to make
Paper bags cost more to make than plastic (if you look at the cost per bag to retailers).  I'm not sure of the amount for either, but it's something like this.  Each plastic bag costs about 1/100th of a cent, while each paper bag costs 1/2 a cent.  It's a significant difference.  Those aren't exact, so don't quote me on that, but it's similar to what I remember seeing.  Point is, paper costs significantly more PER BAG.  Sure, they can hold more, but 50 times more?  Yeah right.  Also, paper bags come from trees while plastic comes from the ground.

2) People never remember to bring their bags--and are too lazy to go get them!
I find it simply astounding that the residents of Kirkland were given a year's notice about the plastic bag ban, told to remember to start bringing their bags a year in advance, and two and a half months into the ban people are still forgetting them.  We, the city of Kirkland, had a year to prepare, and we totally freaking failed.  That's like given an entire semester's notice of a test in a class and told exactly what to study for, and choosing not to study.

Anyway, the most common thing I hear is "I forgot/left them in the car."  Really?!  Great, they're less than  1,000 feet away!  Oh, you're too freaking lazy to go get them?  Are you s****ing me?!  First off, if you're shopping with someone else make the passenger hold the bags on the way to the store.  If you're shopping alone, leave them on top of the passenger seat... and put your cell phone on top of the bags there.  You won't forget that, will you?  Which means you won't forget that bags.  THERE IS NO EXCUSE.  Secondly, if the bags made it to the car, and you realize it before you've done much shopping, GO GET THEM!  No excuse.

3) People are content with paying for bags in Kirkland
This isn't true of everyone of course, but a majority of Kirkland residents are all right with paying 5 cents for every bag.  I'd say the average order only requires 2 or 3 bags, which comes to 11 or 16 cents (if you count tax--yes, they are taxed... lol... gotta love America).  Most people are ok with paying the bag fee, because Kirkland is already an expensive city to live in, what's 20 or so cents every time you shop?  It's nothing.

People being ok with paying for bags means a lot of paper bags headed out the door, which means retailers have to increase production on paper bags, which can't be good for the environment.

4) Reusable bags cause cross contamination!!!
When we had plastic bags, I would always put meat that wasn't that tightly wrapped in a plastic bag before I put it in a reusable bag, if they brought them.  Now, with no plastic, if someone comes to the front with reusable bags and no produce plastic bag around their meat, I am forced to put their leaking meat in a reusable bag.  Guess what?  There's a decent chance that bag doesn't get washed before it's next use.  People are lazy.  If they're too lazy/forgetful to bring their bags sometimes then they're too lazy to wash their bags, too.  Reusing bags, especially cloth bags, can cause cross-contamination which can result in sickness and in some cases even death.

5) People can just shop in neighboring city for plastic bags and dispose of them here
Currently, neighboring cities Redmond and Bellevue do not have a ban on plastic bags, so I'm sure many shoppers have flocked to those cities for free and convenient plastic bags.  And I bet they're still doing the same things with the plastic bags that they did before.  Myself included, many Kirkland residents have brought plastic bags from other cities into Kirkland and used them as trash cans, pet waste bags, etc.  They're still ending up in Kirkland garbage cans.


So what do we do?  I'd say bring plastic back, and if people really want it they'll pay for it, too.  All the money that plastic bags make could go towards environmental efforts to keep them out of landfills.  Bring plastic back, but make people twice before they stuff them in the garbage.  Also, couldn't they make the plastic bag bio-degradable, like you see with the food compost bags?  Why can't those be made into shopping bags?  Oh well.  In the meantime, I will continue getting plastic in Woodinville, Bellevue, and Redmond and bringing it here, because people in government do not know how to THINK THINGS THROUGH.

Who Does Negan Kill? I Weigh the Odds

The sixth season of The Walking Dead is now over, and we are left with what is one of the biggest cliffhangers in TV history.  WHO DID NEGAN KILL?  Well, the good news is that the list of potential victims is finite, and we can pretty much eliminate a few names from the start.  They are (in alphabetical order): Aaron, Abraham, Carl, Daryl, Eugene, Glenn, Maggie, Michonne, Rick, Rosita, and Sasha.  I will go over each one and their chances.


Aaron
Chance: 3.5%
If Negan killed Aaron, it certainly wouldn't have much of an impact.  This particular death would only further enrage fans that we waited 6 months only to see Negan killed a secondary character.  Also, on Talking Dead, Scott M. Gimple talked about how the death of the character Negan kills will have a big impact on the rest of the characters.  I don't see that as a possibility with Aaron.  But if TWD continues its recent tradition of only killing off minor/secondary characters, then Aaron is an option.

Abraham
Chance: 25%
Abraham was my pick... BEFORE I watched the Season 6 finale.  The way Negan says "Taking it like a champ" suggests a tough character, and Abraham certainly is tough.  I feel the writers saved him from dying like Denise (how he did in the comics) to give him a more impactful, hero's death.  But something tells me I might be wrong about that. 

Carl
Chance: 0.000001%
Ok, Carl has basically NO shot of being Negan's victim.  First off, Negan mentioned how if anyone did anything he'd feed Carl's eye to Rick, as if they were separate from Negan and his chosen victim.  Also, if Negan did settle on Carl, I'd be shocked out of my wits if Rick didn't do something to try to stop him.  I'll eat a book if Carl is the one Negan killed.

Daryl
Chance: 17.5%
Why I think it could be Daryl: His death would certainly be impactful, and he would've "taken it like a champ". Why I don't think it could be Daryl: His death would almost be too impactful.  Killing off Daryl would upset way too many fans, and I don't think they're done with him yet.  Also, Daryl was clearly wounded by a gunshot and one hit from Lucille would've done him in more than likely.  So he's got a shot, but I'd be pretty surprised if it was indeed Daryl.

Eugene
Chance: 22%
The more I think about it the more I think it's Eugene.  I think he'd "take it like a champ" despite his apparent lack of toughness; Eugene has shown he has become a lot tougher than when he first made an appearance.  Also, his death would be heartbreaking and would certainly inspire Abraham, Rick, Rosita, and others to retaliate.  AND... with him standing up to Abraham, giving Rick his instructions on how to make bullets, it seems like the writers set him up to die.

Glenn
Chance: 27.5%
Glenn was the one Negan killed in the comics so he's a legitimate candidate here.  Although when Glenn acted out earlier Negan said that was a freebie, as if Glenn was safe.  His death would certainly be impactful as Glenn has strong connections to pretty much everyone else there.  The show does follow the comics a lot, but how much?  Enough as to where Negan's victims are the same?  Possibly.

Maggie
Chance: 0.5%
Maggie being Negan's victim has been speculated by a few but I'd be shocked if it was her.  First off, she wasn't in ANY condition to take a hit from Lucille and not immediately collapse.  Secondly, Negan stayed away from her in the comics (I believe) because she looked forlorn.  I'd be very, VERY surprised if it was her.

Michonne
Chance: 0.05%
Michonne has very, very little shot of being Negan's victim.  Why?  Because her death would upset WAY too many people.  First off, she's a fan favorite.  Second, she is black and would only further the cause that TWD is racist and kills off all its black characters.  She's a main character and while her death would be impactful (especially for Rick), it just won't be her.

Rick
Chance: 0.0000001%
Unless the writers have someone in mind to take Rick's spot as leader, it's not going to be Rick.  Imagine how defeated and broken all of the group would be if it was Rick.  Also, Negan wouldn't want to pick Rick and make him be seen as a martyr.  Finally, the last person Negan is seen pointing his bat at before moving on to his final choice is Rick; he clearly moves on to someone else. 

Rosita
Chance: 1%
Rosita's chances, like many others, are slim, because her death wouldn't be THAT impactful.  Also, I think Abraham would've surrendered himself for her (See Sasha).  I can't imagine it being Rosita at all.  Who could kill such a beautiful girl? 

Sasha
Chance: 2.5%
Sasha, like Michonne, is black and would enrage the people who think TWD is out to get its black characters.  However, her death has been rumored for a while and would have perhaps enough impact, especially with Abraham.  But she'd be such a dark horse, straight out of left field if she was chosen.  However, I will point out this: If Negan was indeed going left to right with his "Eeney meeney miney moe" game, he more than likely went one after Rick  (See Rick).  The person to the right of Rick as seen in an image shortly after Negan is introduced is Sasha (See above).

So, in summary, here they are by category:

Contenders:
Abraham
Daryl
Eugene
Glenn

Longshots:
Aaron
Rosita
Sasha
Michonne
Maggie

No way in hell:
Rick
Carl

Who will it be?  Perhaps TWD writers don't even know.  Unfortunately, we have to wait until October to find out.  The only real legitimate candidates are Abraham, Daryl, Eugene, and Glenn.  Two from the first season, two from Abraham's group.  October cannot get here soon enough.

Bonus: There has been a lot of speculation that perhaps Negan kills of TWO characters.  This would actually make a lot of sense.  Perhaps he kills one person, and then he's like "Nah, that didn't feel good enough" or someone else tries lashing out at him and pays the price.  My guess would be he kills a not so impactful character (Aaron, Sasha, Rosita), and just when we're thinking "Of course they didn't kill off a major character!" Negan goes and kills Glenn, Daryl, Abraham, or Eugene.  Could it be that he kills Rosita, and Abraham, still having feelings for her, tries to attack Negan in retaliation and Negan kills Abraham?  I could see it.

RECAP, SPOILERS: Could I have BEEN more right?!  My top two in terms of percentages (Glenn, 27.5 and Abraham, 25) were both killed off.  My theory that Negan might kill off two to be more impactful was ALSO true!  I thought the more impactful death would come first however, but I know this show too well.  Daryl was the one that lashed out and cost Glenn his life, something he'll have to live with.

My Final American Idol Post

American Idol, a TV sensation since I was 12 years old, has been around for over half of my life and is ending its run after 15 seasons.  I'm not afraid to admit I have been a big fan of the show (for the most part).  I didn't get into the show until season 3, and I took a hiatus from the show in seasons 12 and 13 (thanks to judging changes, mostly).  So I'll only be discussing seasons 3-11, 14 and 15 here.  I've already done a blog on my Top 10 American Idols ever, so I won't rank individual contestants.

First up, however, I will order the Top 5 of each season and how it should've finished.  In some special situations I will include a person who didn't make the Top 5.  Why Top 5?  Because it's a nice, round number and the fact that the current season is at the Top 5 stage now.

Season 3:
1. Jennifer Hudson
2. Fantasia Barrino
3. Diana DeGarmo
4. LaToya London
5. George Huff
Recap: Season 3 was definitely a female-dominated season.  J-Hud being eliminated in 7th is still one of the biggest shockers in AI history.  She clearly had the talent to win.  But after that the viewers did fairly decently in voting the best towards the end.

Season 4:
1. Carrie Underwood
2. Constantine Maroulis
3. Bo Bice
4. Vonzell Solomon
5. Anthony Federov
Recap: The fact that Scott Savol made the Top 5 is one of the biggest jokes in AI history.  I know what you're thinking: Who?!  At least the voters got the right winner this time.  Constantine should've made it farther, and it's a shame he was 6th and not 2nd.

Season 5:
1. Chris Daughtry
2. Katharine McPhee
3. Kellie Pickler
4. Taylor Hicks
5. Elliot Yamin
Recap: I feel like Chris Daughtry was just something the AI voters weren't ready for.  With seasons 7-11 we saw an influx of male rockers.  If he had auditioned a season or two later he would've won that respective season.  The voters just weren't ready to crown a rocker as the American Idol.  McPhee and Pickler have had decent careers, while Hicks and Yamin both made it farther than they should've.

Season 6:
1. Jordin Sparks
2. Melinda Doolittle
3. Blake Lewis
4. LaKisha Jones
5. Chris Richardson
Recap: This season was surprisingly devoid of much talent.  Jordin has become a very respectable recording artist, but no one else has done much.  I admit I was biased towards Blake Lewis when I watched this season, but he was still a Top 3 talent based on the lack of other talent.

Season 7:
1. David Cook
2. David Archuleta
3. Syesha Mercado
4. Carly Smithson
5. Jason Castro
Recap: The voters did fairly well this season.  Carly Smithson should've made it further than she did.  But other than that, no complaints here.  I wanted Archie to win it when it aired but in retrospect I see Cook was the better performer.

Season 8
1. Adam Lambert
2. Danny Gokey
3. Alison Iraheta
4. Kris Allen
5. Matt Giraud
Recap: The order that it actually happened makes me shake my head to this day.  Kris is one of the lowest selling AI winners ever, yet he had SERIOUS competition for the title, with three artists who each deserved to win it more than he did, especially Adam Lambert, one of my favorite contestants ever.  In a season full of flavor, a bland, dull artist won.

Season 9
1. Lee DeWyze
2. Siobhan Magnus
3. Crystal Bowersox
4. Didi Benami
5. Casey James

Recap: Season 9 is known by most as having the worst talent for any season.  Lee DeWyze is known as one of the worst, if not THE worst winner ever, yet you can't argue he didn't deserve to win because no one else could really make a claim.  I will say Siobhan Magnus should've made it much further, she was quite a talent.  Didi Benami was a joy to watch every week and I think was a surprise elimination.

Season 10
1. Haley Reinhart
2. Scotty McCreery
3. James Durbin
4. Lauren Alaina
5. Casey Abrams
Recap: Following a talent-less season we had a season chalked-full of talent, but boy did the voters screw things up.  The voters were clearly mainly country fans and voted the two country singers into the top 2.  Haley Reinhart gave some of the best AI performances ever (Bennie and the Jets, House of the Rising Sun) and finished third.  James had a range that rivaled Adam Lambert.  I give Scotty credit since he has done fairly well since AI so I give him 2nd.

Season 11
1. Phillip Phillips
2. Jessica Sanchez
3. Colton Dixon
4. Joshua Ledet
5. Skylar Laine
Recap: The voters didn't do too bad, but Colton should've made it further as well as Skylar.  Josh Ledet gave great performances but hasn't done much since AI.  But all in all they got the winner right.

Season 14
1. Clark Beckham
2. Nick Fradiani
3. Jax
4. Rayvon Owen
5. Sarina Joy-Crowe
Recap: Just a year later I can tell this season didn't have a ton of talent.  Clark should've won, with a vocal range like none other.  Jax and Rayvon were decent but in other seasons they'd finish 5th-10th.  Sarina was a surprise exit I thought; I had her making the final 4.

Season 15
1. LaPorsha Renae
2. Trent Harmon
3. Sonika Vaid
4. Mackenzie Bourg
5. Dalton Rapatoni
Recap: I don't know if I've seen a season where someone clearly stood a head above everyone else.  Adam Lambert was close in season 8, but he had competition (clearly).  But LaPorsha should definitely win the final season.  She has been giving powerhouse performance after powerhouse performance.  Trent is the best male vocalist of the season and should be the runner-up.  Sonika has been in danger the last few weeks but shouldn't be 5th (although she probably will be).  I have Mackenzie over Dalton because Mackenzie has a better sounding tone of voice.  Dalton is highly overrated and has gotten by largely due to his looks.

Now, onto something else with American Idol.  Ranking the seasons in terms of the amount of talent.  Not in the winner, but in the entire season.  Counting the final season, I will have seen 11 of 15 seasons.  Ranking them from worst to first:

11. Season 9 - Lee DeWyze over Crystal Bowersox and Casey James.  'Nuff said.
10. Season 14 - Who's going to have success here?  Nick?  Clark?  Jax?
9. Season 6 - So there's Jordin... but that's it.  Blake is decent, but no one else will do anything.
8. Season 15 - Gotta be honest... unless LaPorsha has a Jennifer Hudson-like career, this season is really lacking talent.  We'll see, though.
7. Season 11 - Phillip Phillips is decent, Sanchez is ok too, but... not much else
6. Season 4 - Carrie CARRIES this season... see what I did there?  They'd be one of the lowest ranked seasons in terms of talent if not for her.
5. Season 7 - Cook is decent, but not exactly a superstar.  After Archuleta, I have trouble remembering everyone else.
4. Season 5 - Chris and Kat, a deadly duo that should've been Top 2.
3. Season 3 - The divas make up  the talent here.  The lack of dude talent hurts, though.
2. Season 10 - Diversity, artistry, you name it.  No clear superstars, but a nice bunch of talent.
1. Season 8 - Adam Lambert.  'Nuff said.

Finally, I will pick the best person to finish at each spot, 12 through 1, in the show's run (including seasons I didn't watch).

12th: David Hernandez (Season 7), Runner Up: Sarina Joy-Crowe (Season 14)
David was a surprise at the time, I believe... but there were just too many David's that season.
11th: Alexis Grace (Season 8), Runner Up: Mikalah Gordon (Season 4)
Alexis was in a very talented season, and she just had a bad week if I remember correctly.
10th: Didi Benami (Season 9), Runner Up: Lisa Tucker (Season 5)
Didi was a surprise and should've made the end on a bad season.
9th: Pia Toscano (Season 10), Runner Up: Mandisa (Season 5)
Pia's elimination may have been the biggest shocker ever, with her being eliminated before guys like Paul McDonald and Stefano Langone.
8th: Michael Johns (Season 7), Runner Up: Nadia Turner (Season 4)
Michael Johns (RIP) was a surprise elimination, for sure.  Nadia Turner had us convinced she was the daughter of Tina Turner.
7th: Jennifer Hudson (Season 3), Runner Up: Colton Dixon (Season 11)
Now we're getting to the nitty-gritty.  As I said earlier Jennifer's exit was a shocker.  Colton had a decent shot at winning as well.
6th: Kellie Pickler (Season 5), Runner Up: Casey Abrams (Season 10)
Kellie has had a successful career, while the runner up was a toss-up between Casey and Constantine Maroulis.
5th: Jacob Lusk (Season 10), Runner Up: Skylar Laine (Season 11)
Not too many great singers in the 5 spot, but Jacob had such a range and Skylar had such a pure country voice.
4th: Chris Daughtry (Season 5), Runner Up: Josh Gracin (Season 2)
No question Daughtry is the best 4th place finisher ever.  Although I didn't see season 2 I know Gracin has done some good things.  Hard not to include James Durbin here.
3rd: Haley Reinhart (Season 10), Runner Up: Danny Gokey (Season 8)
It's a shame... I think more of these two than I do the singers who won the same season they were on.
2nd: Adam Lambert (Season 8), Runner Up: Clay Aiken (Season 2)
Adam is the best runner up ever.  And ha!  Clay is even a runner up here.
1st: Kelly Clarkson (Season 1), Carrie Underwood (Season 4)
Depending on personal preference you could swap these two but these are the two unquestioned two best winners.


I will finish with this: I will actually miss American Idol.  Will I watch "The Voice" or any other talent shows?  Probably not.  But I grew up with AI, daydreaming about auditioning and competing on American Idol.  Thanks for all the great music and memories, AI.